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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Once every 210 days – Saniscara Kliwon Kuningan, the congregation of Pura Panti Banjar Timbrah at Paksabali Village in Klungkung Regency holds Dewa Masraman ritual. This elaborate ritual consists of many parts but the spectators who come to witness this ritual usually only see the part in which the deities are carried in palanquins by entranced bearers and the entranced bearers move as if there is a fight or collision between the palanquins. From this collision movement this ritual is also called Dewa Mepalu or the “fight of the deities” or “perang jempana” or “the battle of palanquins”.

Dewa Mesraman ritual starts early in the evening with megibung or “eating together” in which the congregation divided into children and adult group, each group eat the traditional Balinese food that are served by the priest and female members of congregation together. After megibung is over the deities are prepared for Dewa Masraman ritual, they are placed in a special place in the temple, given special offering by the Pemangku(temple priest).